ROCHESTER — The man arrested Tuesday after a series of assaults at Hannaford has been identified as a war veteran suffering from PTSD, and was ordered held on $10,000 cash bail until he is approved for supervision by the Community Corrections program.

Christopher J. Wentworth, 41, of 82 Chestnut Hill Road, was charged with four felony assault counts and three felony criminal threatening counts after allegedly striking a man with a club in the Hannaford parking lot Tuesday, and threatening to strike others with the same wooden club.

One of the victims reportedly tried to intervene in the assault by pointing a handgun at Wentworth, according to police.

Wentworth was also charged with misdemeanor simple assault for allegedly hitting a man with a bag of popcorn.

Rochester resident Lloyd Gifford, who is Wentworth's stepbrother, said Wednesday that Wentworth is an Iraq War veteran who served in the Army National Guard since the early 1990s. Gifford, who is a Marine Corps veteran, said Wentworth has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), after having served a tour in Iraq between 2003 and 2004.

Speaking about Tuesday's alleged assaults, Gifford said, “My brother is not like that. He left that on the battlefield.”

He said Wentworth did not go to Hannaford with the purpose to hurt anyone. He said his brother's actions were likely caused by something that triggered his PTSD.

Wentworth, who is a decorated veteran, served as a specialist during his tour in Iraq, working in convoy security, said Gifford. He said that during his tour, Wentworth witnessed his friend die after an insurgent attack.

“He is not a violent person,” said Gifford, who said his stepbrother left the National Guard about a year ago.

Wentworth, who was held with no bail after Tuesday's arrest, was arraigned via video conference at Dover District Court Wednesday. His bail was reduced to $10,000 cash bail, to convert to personal recognizance if he is accepted into the Strafford County Community Corrections Program.

According to Assistant County Attorney Dorothy Welch, Wentworth has no prior criminal history.

According to police, the series of assaults began Tuesday at approximately 9:40 a.m., when Wentworth, during a verbal argument with a man, struck the alleged victim in the chest and leg with a wooden club. Wentworth then approached another man and waved the club in his direction, before hitting him with a large bag of popcorn, police say.

According to police, Wentworth then walked toward two older males who were putting groceries in the trunk of their vehicle, and swung the wooden club at one of those men, who fell to the ground. Then, this male victim opened his vehicle and retrieved a handgun, which he pointed at Wentworth, police say.

Wentworth continued to approach the man despite the handgun being shown, police say, but he was then chased off by another customer, who was described by police as the fourth victim. Wentworth ran across Milton Road to VIP Tire Services, entered the building, and attempted to barricade himself inside the store, police say.

The suspect was forced out of the store by employees and came back in contact with the fourth victim, whom he unsuccessfully tried to strike with the wooden club. Wentworth then put down the club as police arrived and he was handcuffed.

The initial victim was taken to Frisbie Memorial Hospital Tuesday with injuries that were not life threatening.

As a result of the incident, Wentworth was charged with four counts of felony level second-degree assault, three counts of felony level criminal threatening, and one count of misdemeanor-level simple assault, for allegedly having unprivileged contact with a victim by hitting him with popcorn.

Wentworth pleaded not guilty to the simple assault charge Wednesday and a probable cause hearing for his felony charges is scheduled for Oct. 28, at 1 p.m. at Rochester Circuit Court.